To the Baltor of the "Nonmit-cuke; DAY News!
SuFive weeks of fighting, In. the Shanghai arca hay brought no decisive result. The Japanese. forces have sueeceded in driving back the Chinese troops on the north of the Settlement prepared lines but the Chinese Sight slanke remains based on Chapel fand the Railway Station and further felforls ore necessary before they eat be dislodged from that vantage point and a further retreat to more distant pointe enforced.
the meantime damage (o neutral and non-combatant Rife and property ne principally to air-raids and ante flreratt activity 4s dally mounting alo, thus reducing the prospects of habulitaton In any near" future period of time to a minimum, "What then docs either side hope to gain' by' further" prolongation Hostiies in this particular district?
either side can decisively defeat the other before the largest centre of international trade and commerce in the Far Bast is reduced {9 ashes then something might fe eaid for continu {ng warfare, but og matters stand this does not seem to be probable, while Foreign Powers, who see the lives sind property and the trade and com= merce of their nationals jeopardised ina quarrel which does not directly concern them, cannot, forever. con: tinue to adopt the "policy of violent onlookers. but must eventually Unite in some common action to pre serve what still remains,
means' of putting a stop to military igthore not then some, immediate operations "and. securing peace with honour by negotiation, either directly on by irlendly mediation of neutrals?
"the Japanese have vindicated their undoubted ight to take all necessary measures to protect the lives and propevty of their nationals, threatened by the Chinese menace, while. the Chine ete, who see their country threatened vith disintegration and. partition or at best able to sink" under Japanese domination, have shown that Up_a most. gallant ght {he invader. But at. what.a cost!
In order to achieve success the Sepanein have hed 0 avai 'a peaceful tieding population of ome thirty: thousand" souls. whose Tndtwiduat osses have been catas {rophie, while valuable industries and' factories. built up by years of Datlent effort and Involving Immense capital investment have been d Troyed and In some eases may never be rebuilt, Similarly. the Chinese have seen a whole population driven from their homes, industries. des. (royed and tens." of thousands of their fellow nationals driven to erly and starvation, All to what Ave militarism an military cone quoit to be. the sole alms of the: contending parties? Are not me dividual humans to be allowed to live. In peace. and security without being constantly. subjected. to. war's:
ins. Are soldiers and sailors. to the sole arbiters of human happiness?" Te this is #0 then of all Human progress cease, Tet art and science, invention and' research go, {et war and rapine take the place of civilization which has failed, until In the process of time mankind will have committed mass sulelde and the World hitherto dominated by man revert to its original state of chaos. "Peace must come some day, why not now? Not a dictated peace leaving conqueror in precarious occupation of a hostile country and the' conquered dissatisfied and unfriendly awaiting only the opportunity for Fevenge, There can be no lasting peace between nations. in such a Felallonship. "No, there must be peace with honour with a sattlement ff outstanding accounts in which
side there wil be give and take, on both "The Japanese have many arlevances. which must be' remedied fand_guarantées must be forthcoming against any reeruidescence of the Insidious "attacks upon er vital und commercial interests. Antlypanese propaganda must. cease all its aspects, Her position as a Great nation. with. a magnificent Fecord of achievement "must frankly recognized, "There must be 2 cessation of the pin-pricking, Polley adopted of recent years by a China misled by subversive propaganda intended to. estrange her from her nearest. neighbour and obvious friend, Japan must, on the other hand be prepared to renounce all Wea of Conauest and the creation of a continental empire, if such wore indeed liber intent, and to hold out the hand comradeship and friendship to a nation only now beginning to. awa from the lethargy of centuries and {ake her place among the progress-Ive' countries of the modern. world, Tu a word, for China renounce all leanings towards Communism and Japan all imperialistic aims at her expense, Substitute an salllance for war, community of alms for: separatism. Let the. slatermen on both sides' put aside their prejudices fand_meet round the Council table, Jet merehiante and manufacturers get {together and decide the lines upon which a satisfactory basis of mutual Understanding and respect can best be built up.
"The first requisite Is an immediate armistice for some definite period of time. Neutrals could be. useful arranging this' If necessary. During the armistice period delegates, preferably neither naval' nor military, background negotiations, should be nominated to} iseuss terms of peace and en= Geavour to bring about the permanent cessation of hostilities.
"The presence in close proximity to one another of opposing forces ready fat any, moment to take advantage of incidents however trivial {themselves as an excuse to engage in hostilities must be provided against. 'There is only one practical way in which this can be done, namely by the creation of a neutral zone of considerable' extent within" which Shanghai will continue to exist and {o'expand naturally withthe growth of her trade, industry and population.
'The Chinese should agree to create and maintain under international 'Treaty this neutral -zone for definite period of years and a small International force' should be main-{alned for a short preliminary orlod as a guarantee of neutrality, This' force could be. withdrawn some convenient date. by mutual consent and the maintenance of peace and order then entrusted to 2 force of police and/or gendarmerie inder" control of on. international "The legal basis of such a neutral for special zone should be a Mandate or Franchise from the Chinese Government creating such zone and If considered desirable making it or some part of it into a free port.
TI might be desirable or even preferable in' such case that "the Headquarters of all. Chinese Gov ernment organs, many of which are situated "inthe existing foreign settlement area, should be removed {othe capital os it. would be incongruous {for such organs to function. In a place removed, however temporarily, from direct Government control.
It could be arranged that the suggestion for such a scheme could be made to emanate from the Chix Rose Government itself without prefudiee to her sovereign rights oF eventual recovery of full control at the expiry of the Franchise, then here could be no question of loss of face or yielding to force majeure land her dignity aa a Sovereign State would. be Unimpalred.
The frst move for the necessary armistice could come race from the. Beitish American Admirals. on the spot Shanghai, Sept. 20, article on "page 5 Is germane, euro this eloquent lea the Jean
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.